I tried this quite a while ago, and although it was good, it lacked something. So, I did my research and tried a variation and let me tell you... it is a big hit everytime I make it. See below:

32 Oz. of Tator Tots1.5lbs of hamburger (i usually 16 Oz. of Sour Cream1 Can of Cream of Mushroom1-2 Cups of Shredded Cheddar Cheese (Depends on how much cheese you like)6 Oz. Can of French's French Friend Onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook hamburger. While cooking hamburger, mix sour cream and cream of mushroom soup together. In a 9x13 glass casserole dish layer ingredients like this, starting from the bottom and working up: tator tots, cooked hamburger, and spread cream of mushroom soup/sour cream mix on top. Put in the oven for 45 minutes (if you like crispy tator tots). At end of 45, take out top with cheddar cheese and french fried onions, put back in the oven for about 10 minutes, until cheese is melted.

I made this once and we loved it. The only differences were, I halved it (there's only 3 of us), I used chicken breast cut up into chunks and I just the cream of chicken and herbs soup. The herbs add a little something extra to the party. I will defiantly be making it again the future.

Hey, I have been looking for the apple crisp recipe that the Duggars fixed, it was on the episode where they took it to the Fireman/Police. It looked really good- Hope you can find this for meThanks so much! I love to watch the Duggars, I have a dvr and record all of them.Blessings, Renea Hharrinr@vmcmail.com

I cook up my hamburger or turkey with onions and garlic. Then I continue the recipe but only have to do half of the recipe. Fortunately, Campbells makes a combo of the chicken and mushroom cream soups. I've also used sour cream when I didn't have evaporated milk (definitely creamier).

it doesn't get soggy, the sauce actually just gives it flavor. I only use cream of mushroom and evaporated milk i don't know about cream of chicken with ground beef... kinda mixing species. But all it does is soak into the meat and then it's very yummy!

I made this recipie about a month ago just because i was curious about it. I never expected it to be so good! Its my new favorite food and im being asked by friends who came over and liked it to make it for them! Hahaha god bless!

My family loves Tater-Tot Casserole. Ours is very similar to the Duggar's.

We love it so much I make a "double" batch using 2 pounds ground turkey, browned with diced onion. I use a 1 large can and 1 small can cream of chicken soup...for those doubters...it's better than cream of mushroom! I also throw in a 10oz (I think) bag of mixed vegetables. Top with tater tots and bake up a half pan more because we just like more.

Absolutely agree that The Duggars have terrible food choices with an over abundance of prepared foods. They don't cook they assemble food. I would love to see them with a nutrition specialist. Several times Jim Bob and Jana were shown trying to diet but how would that be possible with the sodium and fat loaded food they serve the family. Also recipes like the ice cream cake was laden with sugar. No wonder the small children run all over the house. They are on a sugar high

Trust me when your kids are young, they don't need sugar. My two year old is very active with out it. And runs around and at that age they burn calories faster. Yes it's important to eat your fruits and veggies but you can't keep sweets away from your kids. They are everywhere, that's when you limit the amount of sweets.

I make this all the time. We use ground meat seasoned with onions and garlic. I mix the meat in with two cans of cream of mushroom mixed with one soup can of milk. I put that in 9x13 pan first then sprinkle shredded cheddar then a can of peas and can of corn mixed then layer tator tots and bake till they are crispy...sometimes we melt shredded cheese on top at the end....my family loves it like this.

Thanks for the recipe. We are trying it tonight. However, we love veggies in my family, so we are addng 2 cans of corn, 2 cans or greenbeans and 1 can of mixed vegetables. We will put the tater tots on top. Can't wait to eat it! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

My grandmother introduced us to Tator Tot casserole around 30 years ago. I am still making it because my husband loves it. We layer with mixed veggies, and I also chopped tots in with my hamburger for more texture. Also add a little mushroom soup in with meat mixture. It is always better at leftover time. YUM!! Roxanne

I agree with a couple of the other comments that most of what I see the Duggars eat is terribly overprocessed and unhealthy. It would be wonderful if they made different food choices and set a better example of healthy eating for so many who watch the show, respect the family, and want to do as they do.

Okay I just made this for my family. I used taco seasoning for my ground beef and used a can of mushroom soup and a can of chicken soup. The tater tots were mushy and it was very salty. I also topped it with cheddar cheese. My family ate it but asked for me not to make it again. Wondering where I went wrong with what I did. Any suggestions?

Greetings!The Duggars are one of the very few reality families that keep it real. Like a few of the other posts, I agree about their food choices.It can't be easy feeding a family of that size, however ... there are ways to cut down on the prepared foods, not to mention the huge amount of garbage that it produces.I'm sure they could find more eco friendly ways. Otherwise, they appear to be a well balanced family.

Kate, taco seasoning tends to be salty. I would avoid that and try to season with more herbs/less salt. Remember, you can always add seasoning after you have dished it up, but you can never remove it. As far as eating habits go, we only see a small portion of their lives when watching the show. Just because we see them eating not so healthy foods, it doesnt mean they arent eating them when the cameras arent around. They all seem very healthy and active.

I love to cook and will definitely try this recipe. To those who criticize the way the Duggars eat, silly....we don't live with them to see what they eat all the time, and naturally kids will run around, not because of sugar, but because they are children and have the energy. The problem today is lack of exercise....I grew up without computers and the like. Always ate sweets and healthy food, but because I was active I was also healthy.

I love the recipe as is but have played with it a little also just for some variety. I used Slap Your Momma Cajun Seasoning to season the meat which I did 1/4 lb each of pork,beef,chicken, and turkey. And I added 1 small conatiner of sour cream to the soups but used Coconut Almond breeze Milk instead of the evaporated. Was great! But hen it is always good however it is cooked.

You could make your own cream of chicken soup or find an organic brand with no MSG and use that instead. For homemade: Use 1 tsp "Better than bouillon" Chicken bouillon to 1 cup water. Then make a roux using 1 TBS butter and 1 TBS flour. Melt the butter and add the four and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon until thick and creamy. I also, sometimes add a bit of garlic, basil and oregano.

You can make a tex-mex take on this...use nacho or cheddar soup, sour cream or yogurt, and salsa! Have made this using tots and hashbrowns. Personally I think two pounds of meat for 16 people is quite low on protein so I always use one pound per four people.

I halved it as well I come from a big family, but not quite Duggar big. I added some cheese and old bay to my evaporated milk and cream of mushroom soup mixture. I also layered it a bit different tots, then meat, then soup mixture, repeat and have a layer of tots at the top. It was a huge hit with my family

I have an allergy to the wheat in most of the cream soups so I make my own cream soup with cornstarch or rice flour (which ever I have on hand) instead of the wheat flour. I really like this recipe because I have a fondness for oreida crispy rounds which is what I use to make this. They are also gluten free.

I remember seeing them make this on an episode a few years ago. I am so glad I found this! I am going to make it for dinner tonight.

And as for people talking about the eating habits of this family, mind your own business. I have not seen ONE person in this family that is overweight or sits on their rear end eating junk food all day. What did you have for lunch? Was is rabbit food? Mind your own business.

I tried this last night it was great. i love that there are so many variations you can use,I.E. ground chicken, turkey, or ground beef. so many ways to mix it up. I am a stay at home Dad so it gets hard to find variety especially with young kids. look forward to more recipes.

@Anonymous Normal healthy little children are just energetic all the time anyway. I sincerely doubt they are "on a sugar hi". Watch carefully, they also eat alot of fruit, veggies they grow themselves and other un-processed foods too. Yes the older children are capable of cooking and probably could do a great "from scratch" job. However if you had 20+ people to feed (don't forget they often have friends and relatives there) EVERY DAY, I doubt you'd have the engergy or time to cook every meal from scratch either!! Also they live a fairly active rural (Country) life style and do a fair bit of manual labour (when is the last time you laundered for 20 on a weekly basis?) I think they are doing a great job of raising their kids and the approach food and meal times the same way they do everything else, firstly with thanks to God, all foods in moderation, good sensible portion sizes (uncommon for you Yanks where everything seems to be upsized and overly large as a matter of course - that would account for the obesity epidemic!!)and commonsense. As someone outside your American Culture, I think they're doing ok so Fair Dinkum Give a Bloke a go (That's Aussie for give em a break!)

@AnonymousWhy is it that there always has to be a Debbie Downer/Critic?? I cannot believe you made the statement "No wonder why the kids are always running around the house, They are on a sugar high" Unreal , I do not know of any household that has kids that don't run around the house? Did you make your children sit quietly in the house 24/7? How Pathetic!! You must be the perfect version of a Betty Crocker with your homemade attitude huh? They cook plenty of homemade foods. This is just showing versions of some of their favorite recipes.. Its none of your business what they feed their children.. Take your critical statements and apply them someplace else, (Like in your own life) !

@Rhondai added a can of rotel tomatoes (green chiles, diced tomatoes) and velveeta cheese. it added spice and a cheesy kick. you could always use fresh grated cheese if velveeta isn't your gig. the cream of soups oddly go well with cheese of any sort. i had this casserole as a child. my momo used doritos instead of tots. add fresh doritos when complete if you don't like the soggy dorito factor.

@Anonymousi would def saute the trinity. white onions, green bell pepper and celery. add the ground meat and brown. i would add a can of green chiles and diced tomato to the soup mixture. if you season your meat and sauce-like mixture, it could be tasty....right after you add cheese. you could even go a little baja and add some black beans. :)

I actually made it for the first time for our family Christmas dinner 12/13 - everyone loved it. I have made this in advanced, baked and froze in smaller portions and had that for our nephew when he house sit for us when our family went on vacation. Today is our family reunion and guess what's in the oven baking now:-). This is a favorite at our church potlucks as well. I have shared the recipe many people!

So Last night I actually made the tater tots cassarole and it was amazing ! made a couple of changes and seasoned the lean ground turkey with smoked paprika and garlic very yummy in flavor. Added a cup of shredded mexican blended cheeses on top and it was very yummy on a cold/ cool night, Thank you for the recipes I will try Anna's chicken-etti next !! cannot wait

Although I have made this and it was delicious, I am going to see if I can modify this recipe using tuna (from cans)and noodles instead.

Also, due to our family health issues/wanting to eat healthier , I always read the labels on bags, cans, etc. I limit the amount of carbs, salt, fat, and sugar as much as I can. Different seasonings can upgrade a recipe big time! I like to use Italian Seasoning, Garlic, Peppercorn and Cilantro the most and have learned that Tumeric (sp) is a great addition to those watching their weight/wanting to lose a few pounds.MV

I'm just wondering if you made both versions yourself and exactly how much you saved since you seem so sure that you are correct. How do you make your home made tater tots? Mine never turn out quite right. ;)

I've made this with Turkey breakfast sausage and use cream of celery instead of mushroom. I've served it for breakfast at church before and everyone loved it. With the cream of celery everyone says it tastes like it's got cheese in it.

Making your Tater Tot Casserole now it's in the oven!! I just add more spices like fresh cooked onions with the Turkey and garlic. Due to the fact Turkey meat needs it. I used 2 cans cream of Chicken and one can on mushrooms.I put the Tater Tots on top so they brown and crispy. I find tuned this recipe. Making a Salad on the side. You need some kind of vegs with this meal. I'll report you later on how we liked it I am sure we will. I bake and cook all the time just made 7 batches of Christmas Cookies for friends and people at our church. I love making homemade gifts food for people.

I would like to try this with shredded chicken. I think following the basic guidelines you can make it as healthy as you want a nun d still end up with tator tot casserole. It is just a matter of personal choice..glad we have one. We dont use canned soups either because of the irreversible effects of msg. (Neurotoxins). But that's my choice. Can't fault others for their choice. I have time to cook from scratch and some don't.

Made this for the first time for dinner tonight. Yummy. I changed up the recipe a little, used ground beef, sautéed onions and mixed with the beef and added garlic powder. Once this was cooked I added a can of drained corn as my family does not particularly liked the mixed veggies. I then added the soup and milk mixture but used cream of celery and cream of chicken. I made the two pans and sent one too my daughter and her family (6 children). I suggest sharing this with someone who needs a break. Just a thought . Blessings to all.

Just had this tonight for the first time. Seeing it on the show it always looked delicious but I found it to be a bit bland, tasteless. Been reading through the comments and I've seen some suggestions that might add some flavor. Taco seasoning, gravy mixes, onions & garlic. I wouldn't make it this way again, But I will try to make it a little differently next time.

Yes this is an unhealthy recipe but I have seen them eat it with fruits n veggies on the side.They seem like a very active family that enjoys good hard work too...its all about balance ..I can't wait to try this recipe with a veggie filled salad on the side!

I have been wanting to make this since the first time I saw the family make it. Well, I finally made it today. I used ground beef, chopped onions, Campbells chicken and mushroom soup, evaporated milk and of course a 32 ox bag of tots. I seasoned the groundbeef with garlic and parsely salt. Going to top it off with cheddar cheese 10 minutes prior to it being done. It looks good and I sure hope it tastes good. Now, why is it that there always has to be someone or somebody that has to be a critic of the family. Raising 19 kids and not being in debt is one heck of an accomplishment if you ask me. Especially in our current economy. I may not agree with everything they say but I sure do admire them for sticking to their principles etc.

I found that this recipe works better with 2 lb of meat for one dish and I one can of cream of mushroom and 1 cup of sour cream, 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese and the mini tater tots.Layer in this order: Meat, soup/sour cream mixture, 1 c cheese, mini tots bake @ 350 for 30 min. Sprinkle 1 c cheese and bake for 5 additional minutes.

The missing ingriedient for you health nuts is "praying over your food". There are no food restrictions in the new testament, other than don't be a glutton, and eat in moderation. God knew we would have all these chemicals and everything, that's why were supposed to say grace and God blesses all of it and sanctifies it. So bring on the tater tot casserole!!

YEE HAW!!! You said it. This family, along with God, encourages me to be a better mom. We all need those go-to meals at times during our busy week & I'd say that the Duggar's are busy 24/7 and going strong! P. S. I like salad...& Tater Tot Casserole too!!! ;-)

to all UK People asking what tatter tots are, I've researched it and everyone seems to agree tatter tots are known in the UK as potato crunchies a lot like hash browns available at Iceland and Morrisons

Oh yummy this is one good dish, I'm babysitting for little ones tonite and making this now! The kids love it,husband and I love it wow its a win/win! I'll throw in some veggies and alll is done. I will have more time to read, do crafts, and play with the little ones! This Grandma thanks you!

@AnonymousWhy do some people need to be so nasty? I'd like to see how your budget could handle feeding 21 people, 3 meals a day...365 days a year. They do the best they can, with what God has given them. They don't shop @ Lord & Taylor's or eat filet mignon every day. Many of us would be so thankful to have such a loving, happy and so close of a family unit. See the bigger pictuure, they are very blessed! :-)

@JennHello from the Cornhusker state! We add veggies to our tator tot casserole as well usually 2 cans of French cut green beans or any fresh garden veggies in the summer such as corn or peas etc. I don't however uses any evaporated milk just 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup. God bless everyone!!!

I have ONLY 4 kids, and have had to, ( For the sake of time/schedules), HAD to come up with something QUICK for supper. Give Them A Break...They're very well proportioned, body -wise, they get veggies n nutrients from their other meals, during the wk., off camera...

I live alone but like to take things to church and there a regular size dish of food just doesn't go very far, but if I take a main dish and super Duggar size it there actually will be enough to go around. Thanks for sharing your recipes.

I don't think the Duggars would approve of the way y'all are talking to each other. We grew up on Tator Tot Casserole along with other delicious home cooked meals. It was always served with a green salad. Now I make mine with homemade cream soup because I don't eat MSG. We used regular milk to thin the canned soup back in the day. I've never tried it with evaporated.

this is not cooking to much processed and can food fro me they need to learn basic cooking like how to make basic white sauce and cut out the caned soup and caned milk i would not feed this to a pig much less children.

I make this whenever I get the chance. I do add poultry seasoning, garlic salt and pepper to the ground turkey while it's cooking. I also cut the recipe in half, as I don't have that many mouths to feed.

We always did ours with layer of hamburger that was cooked with chopped or minced onion and bell pepper. Depending on if we were hiding them from kiddo's :) Along with garlic and then salt and pepper. Next we add a vegetable or two like green beans. Then of course tater tots and the soups mixed with some cream and milk. Then bake and top with cheese. Because the flavor was so great picky vegetable eaters would eat it too! ~Kimberly in Arkansas

I've made this for years but I do mine a little different, I brown the hamburger and drain then add it to a casserole dish, I then mix the Cream of Mushroom Soup and Cream of Chicken Soup with 8 ounces of Sour Cream and pour mixture over the Hamburger, I then add Slices of Velvetta Cheese over the Soup and then layer the Tator Tots on top, I bake at 3.50 for 30 minutes or until Tator Tots are turning brown, I then remove it from oven and sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the Tator Tots and pop it back into the oven just long enough to melt the cheese.. Putting the Tator Tots on top lets them remain crisp and not soggy.

My husband, daughter and I watched an episode of The Duggars last night when there were only 14 children and Michelle had just given birth to Jackson. My hubby saw the family making this recipe and asked me to find it. We are very excited to try it!

i had to try this recipe myself just to see what the hype was about. And i admit it was super delicious, its like eating a loaded baked potatoe.You can totally make this ahead of time freeze it into individual portions.But anyway i used green onions and bacon to my casserole. And omg its amazing

tator tot recipe my mother has done this one for 35 years. It is also yummy and good for you with zucchuni and tamales in it. My uncle does not like zucchuni and came one night and had three bowl full of it. Then asked for the recipe. It shocked him he had zucchuni squash in it and could not taste the squash. Cheese makes it even better!

I've made this many times. Easy and tasty and leftovers are great, there's only two of us. I use half recipe. Usually make with grass fed ground beef cooked with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. I've used about 8-10 oz of unsweetened almond milk instead of evaporated and its fine.

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Welcome! We are the premiere source for factual, encouraging information about Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their 19 kids, stars of TLC's 19 Kids and Counting (2008-2015); including news updates, photos, recipes, and episode recaps. This blog is not written by the Duggars, but we are personal friends of the family.